A woman passenger died on a train travelling at 85mph after her head struck a tree branch as she leaned out of a window.

An initial investigation said there was a warning sign above the window on the train which was travelling from Bath to Bristol on Saturday, December 21

Charity worker Bethan Roper, 28, from Penarth, in South Wales was pronounced dead shortly after 10.10pm on Saturday, December 1.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said her head struck the tree branch near Twerton, about 1.5 miles west of Bath Spa station, on the 8.30pm GWR High Speed Train service to Bristol.

Bethan Roper (Image: PA)

The report, published today, said: “Witness evidence indicates that the passenger was standing at a door on the side facing away from the other track.

“The door was fitted with an opening droplight window, which is used to access the door handle fitted to the outside of the door.

“A yellow ‘Caution’ label above the door states ‘Do not lean out of window when train is moving’.

“The window was reported to have been opened and the passenger had her head out of the window.”

Bristol Temple Meads.

The RAIB’s investigation will look at the measures in place to control the risks from people leaning out of train windows, including the threat from vegetation.

Its full report will be published at a later date.

'Beautiful in every way'

In a tribute to Bethan last month, her father Aidan said: "She enjoyed life to the full whilst working tirelessly for a better world.

"She was also a much loved sister, daughter, grand-daughter and niece.

"All of us who knew Bethan have been very privileged.

"She was beautiful in every way.

"Our pain couldn’t be sharper or more justified, but I know that her goodness and fullness of spirit will live on in our hearts and actions."

One of the new GWR trains en route to Wales. October 16 2017. (Image: SWNS.com)

Bethan, he said, was born in Llandough Hospital in the Vale of Glamorgan on October 24, 1990 and spent most of her life growing up in Penarth, attending Albert Road Primary and Stanwell Comprehensive schools.

She worked in Cardiff for the Wales Refugee Council, Sobey’s Vintage Clothes Shop, the Coproduction Network for Wales, and Cartrefi Cymru Co-operative.

She chaired the Cardiff branch of the Socialist Party of Great Britain, and was a Unite union convener.

Read More

She was on her way back to South Wales after a shopping trip at Bath's Christmas Market when the tragedy occurred.

Bethan suffered serious head injuries and despite the best efforts of paramedics at the scene, nothing could be done to save her.

The death is not being treated as suspicious.

Download the Gloucestershire Live app

Gloucestershire Live now has an app.

You can get all the latest news, sport and lifestyle that matters to you in an easy-to-use, clear format.

You can also choose to receive notifications when the biggest stories break so you're always keeping pace with what's happening locally.

You can download the app now, just search for Gloucestershire Live in your app store.

A British Transport Police spokesman said a day after the incident: "We were called at around 10.10pm following a report a woman had received serious head injuries while travelling on a train between Bath and Keynsham.

"Officers from British Transport Police attended along with colleagues from Avon and Somerset Police and South Western Ambulance Service, but despite their best efforts the woman died at the scene.

"Our investigation remains at an early stage, but initial inquiries suggest the woman may have been leaning out of a window when she suffered a blow to the head."

An inquest into her death has been opened and adjourned at Avon Coroners' Court in Flax Bourton, near Bristol.

It will resume on March 20 but investigations into the circumstances of her death continue.